


amaterasu, away from her cave

by kintou



Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Artists, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Getting Together, M/M, Oneshot, artist!sasuke
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-25
Updated: 2021-01-25
Packaged: 2021-03-18 05:00:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,087
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28986765
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kintou/pseuds/kintou
Summary: Sasuke has been living a pretty convenient life as an artist; he's developed a nice style and his paintings are selling like hot buns. So why do the words of the bright museum curator –yeah, I do think these are boring– keep ringing inside of his mind?
Relationships: Uchiha Sasuke/Uzumaki Naruto
Comments: 16
Kudos: 95
Collections: Foxy fox 🦊





	amaterasu, away from her cave

**Author's Note:**

> Iiiiiiii really dont know what this is? I started writing and then I had a hard time and turned it into something but??? at what cost. 
> 
> Just kidding, it's probably fine. The artwork titles are names of Japanese mythology and Sasuke's jutsu's. 
> 
> I have playlists playlists for [Naruto](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6nUail8Ps030et4qEqKfVW?si=mbkxQP7mSWCs8sEHngi1HA) and [Sasuke](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7FQzcKRQw8zgnS8N9ynRgh?si=wmhvkQ-9SAGJPsCY5OcWxQ) in modern au's <3 
> 
> Okay now im going to take a nap now. Please enjoy!

Sasuke spread out his works in front of him and stared at each piece for a little while. It was the third time he’d done so today, while it was only 10 am, and he was– well, he was slowly losing his mind. It didn’t really matter at what time he looked or from which corner, he kept on seeing the blonde asshole from the museum in his mind. His works were _fine,_ they were finished and they were– they were boring. He hadn’t been this frustrated with artworks since he was at the goddamn academy. He’d found something he enjoyed painting and he’d gotten good at it. Most of these works had taken a day, at most, and they were selling like candy. He hadn’t even thought about whether he was happy with them and now he couldn’t even sit down without hearing the words ‘ _Are these really the works you want to submit?’_ in his mind.

He’d said yes, of course. Except… he didn’t want to submit these works anymore.

The longer he looked at them, the more they felt like he hadn’t painted them at all. A stupid side of him felt like putting the biggest brush he owned against the neat paintings and just stroking clumsily. He wanted to mess these paintings up, to get his frustration out, to make them _live_ a bit. He’d even glanced at his yellows, greens, reds; the colours rarely used without mixing them with darker shades. He was, truly, losing his mind. The blonde appearing in his mind didn’t help at all. The other had blown life into his mind by offending him, something no one dared to do, and then grinning brightly.

 _God damn it._ Sasuke took his biggest brush and pushed it into the yellow paint. With a deep, shivering breath he pushed the brush against the traditional landscape he’d painted. He traced the lines that were already there clumsily, roughly, and felt– relief. 

It was, by now, a week ago that he’d met up with Naruto Uzumaki. The guy had been ten minutes late and Sasuke had gone ahead and ordered himself his own coffee after four minutes of waiting. The other man had stumbled into the cafe with a bright look on his face and waved. He’d felt warm within an instance; walked up to their table almost radiating. It wasn’t quite enough to let Sasuke forget his annoyance, but still.

“Hey! You must be Sasuke Uchiha,” the other had said, offering his hand. The man had ordered a mochachino after, which was in Sasuke’s opinion quite the choice for a business meeting, and then he’d started talking. He talked about the museum’s plans and about the other artists they’d asked. He talked about his position, communication with sides of production, and eventually he even managed to slip in how much he enjoyed eating ramen at the shop near the museum. All of that before getting to the point and saying: “Do you have an example of the works you picked for the exhibition?” 

To his own surprise, he had enjoyed Naruto talking about all things that weren’t business. He hadn’t even thought about getting the photos he took out. He felt stupid for it. He felt stupid for enjoying things he’d usually hate in someone now. Why? Because this man had a nice smile? He was definitely being stupid.

He’d gotten out his Ipad and opened the pictures of the works he’d finished for the exhibition. He turned them to Naruto, knowing they’d be good enough. These works lived up to their expectation in all ways. 

“Oh–” Naruto turned more quiet than he’d been during their entire meeting. “These are– they’re very beautiful, Sasuke–” 

“But?” There definitely was a but. 

Naruto shrugged. “Are these really the works you want to submit?” 

He looked up at the man. Was he stupid? Was he saying these works were not good enough? He’d done exactly what the museum could have expected from him. The works were beautiful and they fit right in with the work the museum had enjoyed before. How could they not be good enough? 

“Yes,” he answered. 

Naruto nodded, bit his lip. He scrolled through the works another few times. He seemed to have a lot to say about them, but he kept it in. Eventually he went with: “You know that you’re allowed to give us any kind of work, right?” 

“Why does that matter?” 

“It’s just. Do you mind if I get really honest with you for a bit?” 

Sasuke shrugged. The other had already gotten started, he might as well finish his complaint. 

“Okay. Uhm, so– I just think that you can do more?” He breathed in, quickly. “Not that these aren’t beautiful! I’ve seen your work before and I really enjoy them but I think that they’re so– safe. Yes, safe, I guess. Is this really what you want to make?” 

“Is the museum not going to take them because they’re too safe?” 

Naruto’s eyes went wide. “No. No of course not.” 

“You just think they’re boring.” 

“N– Well I– they’re beautiful but–” Naruto sank down in his chair dramatically, loudly. “Yeah. Yeah, I do think that these are boring.” 

He didn’t know how to reply to that. His first reaction was to fight back, to tell Naruto he was wrong, but the words didn’t come out. The museum wanted his work no matter what but Naruto– he still wanted to say that these were boring. 

“It’s not that they’re not good,” the other said again. “You’re definitely incapable of making work that’s not good. But you just seem so… intense. You’re actually quite fierce or– well– snarky or something. I just can’t imagine that this is what you want to showcase.” 

“That’s none of your business.” 

The other man stared at him. His eyes were really too damn bright for his own good, his face too open. Only that look made Sasuke want to give in. He realized that Naruto meant no harm with his words. He seemed, in every way, genuine. That didn’t mean that the words didn’t piss him off though. 

“You’re right. If you want to go with these, we’ll of course be happy to take them.” Some of that warmth in Naruto’s voice, in his eyes, in his everything, was suddenly missing. As if he’d realized that he’d been unprofessional, and he was back to just being the curator for a project. Sasuke missed the warmth instantly. “I have a list of deadlines right here. You can come see the showroom every Thursday and Saturday, because I’ll be around then.” 

He really, really wanted to get that passion back into the conversation. 

He wanted their discussion to go on. 

He wanted Naruto to convince him that he wanted more from his art. 

The next Saturday he laid those works down in his car. He’d sent Naruto a quick text to make sure that the other would be around and started driving towards the showroom. The showroom was in the old city centre. He believed it had once been a theater, and when it’s downfall had become it’s charm the museum had bought it for exhibitions. He could imagine someone like Naruto telling them to go for a project like that; looking for beauty and colors where there were none. He wondered how much the place had changed since they started rebuilding it. From the outside, the building looked close to the way it had looked before. Sasuke parked his car close to the door and got out. He got out two paintings he could carry by himself and walked in. He was greeted by a, mainly, empty building. The space was big, light and empty. There were big industrial designer chandeliers hanging from the ceiling.

Naruto was laying out signs with stories next to other people’s artworks. When he noticed Sasuke coming in he turned and grinned brightly. “Sasuke! I’m glad you could make it.” 

Sasuke didn’t answer. Of course he could make it; it was his job. 

“I made space for you in the middle of the room, right here.” Naruto started walking, stopped at a square of walls in the middle of the room. “Unless you think some other place fits better.” 

He looked at the space Naruto had reserved for him and nodded slowly. He would have chosen the exact same space. The entire building, he had to admit, was impressive. He believed that in this space, his newly found bold pieces would not be out of place at all. 

Not that he minded being out of place. 

“Oh, you can put your works down. Would you like something to drink? Coffee?” 

“Yeah, coffee. I’m going to get the other works.” 

Naruto grinned that amazing grin once again. While the other walked towards something that could only be a room with a coffee machine, Sasuke walked towards his car to get the other paintings. He looked at the works himself, once again. The bold black lines, the bright colors; they felt strange to him. The closer he got to Naruto seeing these works, the more nervous he got. He didn’t like other people being _right,_ especially not about his work. 

Naruto had been so– so right though. 

He put the canvases on the floor. He placed them in the order he’d like them to hang, stepped away from them a little further and watched them just to be sure. 

His name would be hanging underneath these works in a week. _Sasuke Uchiha,_ underneath such brightness. 

“Oh!” Naruto called out. 

Sasuke glanced over his shoulder to see the other man standing in the middle of the room, holding two cups of coffee. He was not moving anymore. He was staring at the works standing on the floor intensely. His eyes were so fucking bright, as if fireworks were erupting inside of them. 

“You changed them!” Naruto yelled out. 

Sasuke nodded. 

There was not much more to it. He _had_ changed them. 

Naruto, as if nothing in the entire world was important anymore, put the cups of coffee down on the ground and walked up to the canvases. He squatted down and then he just– stared. For the longest time he looked at the painting with this amazingly warm face. 

Sasuke studied him in his turn. He watched as Naruto turned his face to the left, and then slowly to the right. He watched as Naruto sat down, squinting his eyes. 

He watched as Naruto got up, took a few steps back, did the same thing all over again. 

“Holyshit,” He said eventually. It felt like years had passed until he finally did. 

And maybe that was all Sasuke wanted to hear. 

He didn’t know what to do with it now that he’d gotten it, though. 

“The– the coffee is getting cold.” He said instead of answering. 

“Right!” Naruto sat down on the ground where he’d put the coffee down. He held one cup up for Sasuke and looked at him– in exactly the same way he’d looked at his paintings. 

Sasuke took the coffee from the other’s hand, a bit breathless. 

He wondered what that was. What it was about this bright man that– that had him so– 

“Sasuke, these works are amazing.” 

Slowly, he sat down on the ground as well. He looked at the windows of the big building so that he didn’t have to look at anything relevant. Like his art. Like the man in front of him. 

“I mean it– these are– holyshit. I know you didn’t change a lot but it makes such an insane difference. I’m really glad you did. These will definitely steal the show,” Naruto laughed awkwardly. 

“I don’t care about that.” 

Naruto smiled at him, sipped his coffee. “Hm– I’m not surprised. Maybe you wouldn’t be able to make work like this if you did.” 

Sasuke shrugged. He drank his coffee in silence. The coffee was good; he wouldn’t be surprised if they’d placed a new and expensive machine into this beautiful old building. 

“Ah– I’m going to be really sad when these get sold.” 

Sasuke raised one eyebrow. “That was the point of this exhibition.” 

“They’re too beautiful!” Naruto said dramatically. 

Sasuke couldn’t help but chuckle lightly. He felt Naruto’s eyes on him at the sound. He quickly threw back the rest of his coffee; he didn’t know what about the other made him so damn _warm._

“Ah– I’ll just have to deal with it.” Naruto mumbled. “Did you see my email? Jiraiya asked if you would be able to come half an hour before we get started, and there’s some press he’d like you to talk to. Doesn’t have to be much, you can give them absolutely nothing if you want to.” Naruto chuckled. “And I wanted to make like… a sneak peak picture for our social media? Maybe with a title of the work or a short quote. Could you send that to me?” 

Sasuke looked at the works in front of them. He felt Naruto’s eyes on him, excited. 

He was so, so bright. 

There was something in this moment that he hadn’ t had in forever. Slowly– while Naruto started at him– he realized that that thing was _warmth._ Some kind of fire. 

“No need.” He said. “Call it– Hm– ‘ _Amaterasu, away from her cave’._ ” 

He had never seen a man grin as bright as Naruto did in that moment. “Yeah, cool, will do.” 

Sasuke stood up, putting the coffee cup back on the floor. Naruto followed behind him, taking both cups from the ground. “Are you leaving?” 

He nodded. 

“Ah– alright. I’ll email you if there’s anything to discuss but I think we’re pretty much there. I’m really looking forward to it, Sasuke. Even more now that you changed the paintings. It made me very excited.” 

“Hm.” 

“Oh, Sasuke.” 

He turned around to look at Naruto. The other sounded like there was something more; something nerve wracking. “What?” 

“I was wondering if you– eh–” He gripped the cups in his hands awkwardly. “Would you like to grab some dinner?” _Oh._ “You know, as a date.” 

He stared at the blonde. 

Was keeping warm really that easy? Was that possible?

He glanced at his painting nervously, then back at Naruto. “Ask me after the exhibition is over. Not now.” 

With that said, he turned away from a man who’d just admitted wanting to date him. His mind was full of the other. He wondered what kind of warmth this man could give while touching. He tried not to linger on it; he got into his car, pulled that door closed and drove away. 

The exhibition was, to say the least, booming. Whatever Naruto had done with the promotion, he’d done a good job. There were all kinds of people walking around through the showroom. People he recognized from his art academy, big names, families, everyone you could possibly imagine. There was press too; he watched Naruto as he led them from one side of the building to the other, laughing brightly. He seemed to tell them everything they had to know. Every once in a while he led someone to Sasuke and his works. He’d casually say: “This is Sasuke Uchiha.” 

Sasuke didn’t want the attention from the press. He watched Naruto as everyone laughed about his jokes and realized he’d really like to have all that bright attention on him again. Instead, he talked business with women in neat clothes and with men who pretended they weren’t talking business. He hid behind the glass of free champagne, trying to get a break from compliments. He walked through the showroom just so that people wouldn’t ask him about his work, because really; he didn’t know what had come over him while making his newest works either. 

Amazement, maybe. A new overwhelming voice. A stupid, stupid crush. 

He grabbed another glass of champagne and walked to the works furthest away from the main hall. He wondered when exactly was an appropriate time to leave; he’d been around for a while now. It was fine if the museum told him what he’d sold exactly. Maybe he could tell Naruto he was leaving and then just go? The other would be disappointed, but he didn’t want to answer more questions about the works. 

He liked them the way they were; impulsive and mysterious. 

“Damn, what did that painting do to you?” Someone said behind him. 

Sasuke moved his head to see Naruto walking up to him with a big grin on his face. He realized that he’d been scowling at the painting. “It ran over my cat,” he replied casually, making Naruto laugh brightly. 

_Damn it._

“Sorry for your loss.” Naruto stopped to stand next to him. Sasuke watched him closely. Naruto looked good. He was wearing a blue suit with a casual shirt underneath it. He was wearing sneakers, but they were definitely bought for special occasions. “Are you taking a breather?” 

Sasuke nodded, tearing his eyes away from the blond. “It’s a lot.” 

“I get that,” Naruto said, a smile in his voice. “I enjoy people but I get really tired after talking to them the entire evening.” 

“Maybe you should take a breather too.” 

“Oh I am, right now.” 

Sasuke looked at Naruto curiously. 

“About the first painting of your collection, And Susanoo.” Naruto said, changing the subject. When Naruto looked at him he looked a little breathless, heavy. “Let me buy it?” 

He chuckled lightly. So Naruto actually really liked the works? Well, they were as much Naruto’s as they were his. If anyone was to have the first painting he made bright like he’d never seen his work before, it was Naruto. “Sure.” 

“Yes? Are you sure?! I didn’t even–” 

“It’s fine.” Then, because why the hell not (or because he’d had a few glasses of champagne), he added: “I made it for you.” 

Naruto stared at him. He was grinning even more bright than Sasuke had seen him looking all evening. He really wanted to take Naruto’s face in between his hands, feel how warm his cheeks felt while he grinned like that. He wanted to hold Naruto’s hands and the other shivered excitedly, as if he felt like dancing or jumping but couldn’t. “You’re really amazing,” the other said. 

“Hm.” 

“Fuck, I can’t wait for this whole thing to be over!” Naruto said, definitely a little too loud. 

Sasuke chuckled. He knew why, and he definitely felt hot because of the idea. The rest of the visitors didn’t know that though. “You’re going to make the audience think you hate it here.” 

“Yes! Take responsibility!” Naruto joked. “Go on a date with me right now!” 

“Sure. Where are we going?” 

Naruto laughed, turning to him and coming a bit closer. “How serious are you?” 

“Naruto.” Sasuke warned. The ‘ _you’re working’_ went unspoken. 

“Don’t be boring,” Naruto mumbled, and _fuck_ Sasuke was definitely not going to have that discussion with him again. He could feel his eyes darken at the words; he was not letting Naruto call him boring again. When the blond saw his look he grinned in victory. “Oh you’re so full of shit.” He said. 

“And you’re a moron.” 

“I’ll take that. You coming?” 

Naruto turned around casually, waiting for Sasuke to follow him. Wondering how the hell Naruto appeared so casual at all times, Sasuke followed behind him. Naruto led him through the building, through two offices that were empty, and then eventually into some kind of storage room full of paintings, frames, ladders. 

The light was bright when Naruto clicked it on. “Sorry,” He said. His face was slightly red and his eyes were deep, intense. 

Sasuke breathed in sharply. “Hm.” 

Naruto walked up to him, made him back up until his back was pushed against the door. “Don’t go thinking this is our first date, by the way. I want to take you somewhere nice.” 

“Nicer than a storage room? You’ll really have to outdo yourself.” 

Naruto laughed brightly. “Can you shut up already?” 

“I’d say _make me_ but I think that we were already getting there.” 

Naruto again, chuckled. Then, a lot slower than Sasuke had expected him to, Naruto traced the skin of Sasuke’s cheek and neck. “You’re really pretty,” he said.  
Sasuke kept quiet. Naruto’s lips were so close. His fingers felt rough against his skin. Somehow, he found himself enjoying that soft touch enough to melt. He wondered what it was about Naruto that made him want to play around, to take things slow.

That made him want to color out of the lines.

That made him want to hide in a storage room to make out. 

Where exactly had that playfulness been hiding? How the hell had Naruto awoken it? 

Naruto pressed his thumb against Sasuke’s lips, staring into his eyes. Then, slowly, he whispered: “Open your mouth.” Sasuke almost fucking whimpered as he opened his lips for Naruto’s thumb. He sucked on Naruto’s finger once, closing his eyes, before the other pushed his mouth further open en _fucking finally_ licked into his mouth. 

Sasuke grabbed Naruto’s suit jacket as if his life depended on it. He pulled Naruto in, close against himself and returned the kiss as roughly as he’d gotten it. Naruto tangled his fingers into his hair. Sasuke softly bit Naruto’s lip, making him moan out lightly. 

He felt as if something inside of him was lit on fire. 

He imagined, while breathlessly kissing the other, that Naruto would leave colored stains all over his body. That Naruto would leave him the way he’d left his art, his brain; bright and extraordinary. He felt like he’d explode from it. 

Naruto pulled away, breathlessly. Only to whisper: “You’re amazing.” 

Sasuke leaned in, pushed their foreheads together, and kissed Naruto’s lips softly. He hummed meaninglessly. Slowly he grinded his hips against Naruto, painfully aware that they couldn’t do anything yet. His body was definitely not ready to accept that fact. 

“Yeah– that’s– holyshit.” 

Sasuke chuckled. 

“Your laugh is pretty.” 

“Fuck off.” Sasuke kissed Naruto again; absolutely not proving his point. Naruto smiled into the kiss shamelessly. 

When they pulled back Naruto seemed to light up the entire room. “Sasuke?” he asked. 

“Hm..” 

“Go home with me, when we’re done here.” 

Sasuke breathed in. Honestly; he could barely hear his brain anymore, let stand have thoughts about professionalism. So he nodded. Naruto pecked his lips again, excited. 

“Okay,” the other whispered. He awkwardly pulled away and then pushed against his pants to get his boner to calm down.

Sasuke laughed at him. 

“Shut up.” 

“Come here.” He reached out and straightened down Naruto’s suit jacket. He pushed Naruto’s hair back into it’s usual model clumsily. There was not much to save; they’d have to hope that no one would notice. “That’s better,” he said anyway.

“Better? Am I not pretty?” 

“Hm, you’re red in the face. Anyway, don’t you have some paintings to sell?” 

The other gave him one more peck on his lips and then took his hand shyly. “Yeah, I do actually.” Then, bursting their safe bubble, Naruto opened the door to the storage room so that they were standing in the offices again.

“Oh, wait one second,” Sasuke said. 

He ripped his hand away from Naruto’s hold and grabbed a random paper from one of the desks. Naruto watched him carefully as he took one of the black markers and started writing: ‘ _And Sasunoo, SOLD’._ Behind him, Naruto breathed in excitedly. 

He threw the marker back onto the desk, took the paper in his left hand and slipped his right hand back into Naruto’s. 

Still hand in hand he dragged Naruto through the exhibition space. People barely noticed them. They were busy having their own conversation in front of art pieces. Barely anyone was still looking at the pieces. Sasuke felt glad for it. 

In front of his own collection, Naruto let go of his hand again. It couldn’t even feel like a loss now; he felt warm with it. He stuck the paper underneath the frame, then chuckled at how dorky the simple paper looked. 

_And Sasunoo, SOLD._

Naruto came up from behind him, touching his hand lightly. “I love that work so much. Not to be dramatic but I’d sell my soul for it.” 

“Ah I was wondering why you kissed me, but now I get it. You’re the ‘make a deal with the devil’ type of guy.” 

Naruto turned to him with a cheeky smile. “Yeah, definitely.” 

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you liked that! Comments make me very happy (: 
> 
> You can ask me questions on [Tumblr](https://soft-fics.tumblr.com/) or you can follow me on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/feluijten/) !


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